Outlook 2007 crashes when opening an email

[dasadler]

I am running Outlook 2007 on a Windows 7 machine. When I try to open an email, Outlook crashes. However, if I right click on the email and choose Reply, then it will open in the reply mode and all is fine.

Any thoughts on why this is happening or how to stop it? No changes to the computer have taken place. Oh, it also happens when I open Outlook in safe mode.

[HansV]

See if deleting the following files helps:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook\outcmd.dat
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Forms\formcache.dat
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\extend.dat
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\views.dat

Note: AppData is a hidden folder; you must show hidden files and folders in Windows Explorer to see it.

[dasadler]

I will give it a try - what do these files do that might cause the problem?

[HansV]

outcmd.dat contains customized toolbar settings.
formcache.dat is a cache of custom forms.
extend.dat contains information about installed add-ins.
views.dat contains information about custom views.

These files sometimes becomes corrupt. When you delete them, Outlook will regenerate them automatically.

[dasadler]

I deleted the first three files - there was no 'views.dat'. The problem is still there - only seems to crash when a message is opened. Reply or Forward is fine, New message is fine.

Here are the problem details from the error message

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: OUTLOOK.EXE
Application Version: 12.0.4518.1014
Application Timestamp: 4542840f
Fault Module Name: mspst32.dll
Fault Module Version: 12.0.4518.1014
Fault Module Timestamp: 45428111
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000990e7
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033

Additional information about the problem:
LCID: 1033
Brand: Office12Crash
skulcid: 1033

[HansV]

I'm afraid I don't know how to solve this; I'd post on Microsoft Community (https://answers.microsoft.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), perhaps the experts there can help you.

[dasadler]

Okay, I did - thanks for taking a shot.

[JoeP]

Have you tried emptying the Outlook temp folder. See Outlook SecureTemp Files Folder for details.

[dasadler]

Thanks JoeP, I'll try it. Could that cause it to crash? why so?

[JoeP]

It shouldn't but if there are attachments on the email and there is a corrupted file in the temp folder it could cause a problem. Clearing the folder can't hurt.

[dasadler]

Thanks. I checked and that folder is empty.